Thill-coupling



(Np Model.)

0. R. PATTERSON. I

THILL COUPLING.

No. 366,604. Patented JuIy IZ, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrice.

CHARLES R. PATTERSON, OF GREENFIELD, OHIO.

' THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,604, dated July 12, 1887.

Application filed-May 24, 1887. Serial No. 239.180. No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. PATTER- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenfield, in the county of Highland, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Oouplings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. 7

The object of my invention is to produce an anti-rattler that can be readily applied to an ordinary thill-coupling without materially changing or adding to the cost of manufactu ring the latter. To accomplish this result, the tie-plate of the clip is generally made slightly longer than usual, so as to project about threequarters of an inch in front of the axle, and the end of this forward prolongation is beveled downwardly and rearwardly, thereby forming a comparatively sharp bearing at the top of said plate. Adapted toimpinge against this bearing is the slotted shank of a platespring whose upper end is bent to fit snugly around the rear and top of the thill-iron hub, and said slot is traversed by a tension device the tightening of which causes said shank to press with more or less force against the beveled or chanifered bearing, and thereby compresses the curved portion of said spring so closely against said hub as to effectually prevent rattling.

Another feature of my invention comprises a novel combination of devices for attaching the tension or adjusting screw to the tie-plate of the clip.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved anti-rattling thill-coupling, the eyebolt of the same being, shown in a detached plan view. Figs. 2 and 3 are modifications of the invention.

A represents the front axle of a vehicle; B, an ordinary clip surrounding the same, and O is the bolt or pivot of said clip, whichbolt traverses the cylindrical hub D of the thilliron E, said bolt being retained in place by an ordinary nut, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. V

F represents the tie-plate wherewith the clip is secured to the axle, said plate being generally prolonged in front of said axle, as at F. The exact length of this prolongation is immaterial, provided it accomplishes the desired result; but in actual practice I have found that three-quarters of an inchv is sufficient for all ordinary purposes. The extreme front end of this prolongation is cut down and rearwardly, so as to afford a beveled or chamfered bearing, f, for the shank G of a spring, G G, to impinge against, the upper portion, G, of said spring being bentto fit snugly around the rear and upper periphery of the thill-iron hub D. The lower portion, G, of this spring is preferably straight, and is slotted at g to receive the adjusting device wherewith the desired tension is effected. 'For obvious reasons this tension device is preferably a screw or bolt; but the method of applying said device to the thill-coupling may be varied to suit circumstances.

In Fig. 1 the screw H is formed on the front end of an ordinary eyebolt, I, whose aperture J is'traversed by the thill-bolt K, with which the nut k is engaged. 7L is the nut that engages with the screw H. In order to prevent lateral swinging of the eyebolt I, the upper surface thereof may have a small lug or teat, 2', adapted to enter a pit or indentation, f, in the under side of the tie-plate extension F; but, as seen in Fig. 2, the adjusting bolt or screw H is tapped directly into the chamfered end of said extension, while in Fig. 3 the bolt 11 is integral with this extension. It is evident all these tension devices operate in the same manner-that is to say, when they are tightened the shank G of the spring is forced against the chamfered bearing f with any desired pressure, and as a natural result the curved part G of said spring is caused to hug the hub D so closely as to effectually prevent rattling of the thill-coupling, while at the same time the thill-iron E is free to yield to-the motions of the horse. It is also evident that my improvement can be readily applied to an ordinary thill-coupling, and without detaching the latter from the axle, the new clip-plate F F f and spring G G gbeing. so made as to readily fit the regular sizes of such couplings.

Finally, it will be noticed that this coupling is free from any projections below the'nuts that secure the clip in place, which downward projections are used in some couplings, but are very objectionable, for obvious reasons, to say nothing about the cost and ditficulty of making them.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination, in a thill-eoupling, of a spring whose upper part is curved and bends around a portion of the periphery of the thillrated to admit an adjusting device secured to the coupling, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a thill-coupling, of clip 13, pivot O, thill-iron hub D, clip-tie F, and spring G G g, the curved upper part, G, of said spring being bent around a portion of said hub D, while the shank G is in contact with the downwardly and rearwardly beveled front end,f, of said clip-tie, this shank being perforated at g to admit'an adjusting device, as H ,-secured to the coupling, substantially as described. 7

3-. A clip, B, having a clip-tic, F, provided with a forward prolongation, F, pit f, and downwardly and rearwardly beveled front end, f, in combination with the slotted spring G G g, eyebolt H I J, lug i, and nut 71, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES R. PATTERSON. lVitnesses:

WILL. M. Snnur, J. F. WILsoN. 

